News

Archive: 2025

A silhouetted soldier stands on an airfield with an aircraft in the background.

May 6, 2025

90 days in -- Joint Task Force Southern Guard

There are 2,160 hours in 90 days — that’s exactly how long Joint Task Force Southern Guard has been active. In that time, more than 2,500 Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors, Coast Guardsmen, interagency civilians and contractors answered a short-notice tasking to deploy to Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of the Department of Homeland Security’s Illegal Alien Holding Operations.

Three men in suits stand looking left in front of the silhouette of a soldier.

May 5, 2025

Hegseth says deterring China important for hemispheric security

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth hosted an enhanced honor cordon and meeting, welcoming Peruvian Defense Minister Walter Astudillo and Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Elmer Schialer to the Pentagon.

A group of people pose for a photo while seated around a long table.

May 1, 2025

Adm. Holsey Meets with President Milei and Defense Leaders in Argentina

U.S. Navy Adm. Alvin Holsey, commander of U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), visited Argentina April 28 – May 1, 2025, and met with Argentine President Javier Milei and senior defense leaders to discuss strengthening the longstanding U.S.-Argentina defense partnership.

April 28, 2025

40th iteration of exercise TRADEWINDS 25 unites 26 nations promoting security in the Western Hemisphere

TETERON BAY, Trinidad and Tobago — More than 1,000 service members, law enforcement professionals, government officials and other participants from 26 partner and allied nations gathered at Teteron Barracks, Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago, on April 26 to officially commence TRADEWINDS 25, the U.S. Southern Command-sponsored, U.S. Army South-led multinational, multi-domain exercise.

April 21, 2025

LAMAT 2025 culminates in Guyana

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AFNS) — The Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team 2025 mission concluded two weeks of intensive medical collaboration between U.S. military personnel and their Guyanese counterparts.

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Suzanne Redd, 433rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron senior enlisted leader, and Julia Ann Sarjoo, Georgetown Public Hospital phlebotomist, take blood from a child patient with help from the child’s mother at the pediatric emergency section at Georgetown Public Hospital during the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team mission in Georgetown, Guyana, April 2, 2025.

April 17, 2025

Ready Now, and Anywhere, 433rd Citizen Airmen go to Guyana for LAMAT 2025

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — The final health engagement of the 2025 Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) mission began March 31, leaving a lasting impact on both the people and providers of Guyana—as well as the nearly 60 U.S. Air Force medical professionals who supported the mission.

The Freedom-class littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) departs Naval Station Mayport for her maiden deployment, Mar. 26, 2025. LCS 21 is deploying to the U.S. 4th Fleet area of operations is support of counter-illicit drug trafficking operations.

April 17, 2025

USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul Makes Multiple Drug Busts

CARIBBEAN SEA — The Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21), in coordination with joint partners, stopped two alleged drug smuggling operations in the Caribbean Sea within a 72-hour span.

April 16, 2025

Hegseth Welcomes Salvadoran Counterpart, Praises Relationship Between Countries

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth welcomed Salvadoran Defense Minister René Francis Merino Monroy to the Pentagon as part of a bilateral engagement in which the secretary praised the bond shared between the two countries.

U.S. Air Force members participating in the Lesser Antilles Medical Assistance Team (LAMAT) 2025 mission pose for a group photo outside of Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital in Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, March 25, 2025.

April 16, 2025

Saving Lives, Building Partnerships: LAMAT 25 Delivers Critical Care, Reserve Readiness in St. Kitts and Nevis

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts and Nevis — During the St. Kitts and Nevis phase of LAMAT 25, more than 2,200 patients received treatment, 600-plus people underwent surgical and non-surgical interventions, thousands of hours of readiness training were accomplished, and Air Force medical professionals helped deliver a grand-total of at least $80,000 worth of care to the host nation’s populace.

Led by Rear Adm. Carlos Sardiello, Commander U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet, more than 100 Sailors, Marines, and civilians gathered onboard Naval Station Mayport in support of the UNITAS 2025 Mid-Planning Conference. This year’s UNITAS, scheduled for September, is the longest-running, multinational maritime exercise in the world. UNITAS 2025 will combine the efforts of Allies and Partners from across the globe and serve as the warfighting introduction to Navy 250 – the U.S. Navy’s year-long birthday celebration. U.S. Naval Forces Southern Southern Command and the trusted maritime partner for Command/U.S. 4th Fleet is the maritime component of U.S. Caribbean, Central and South America maritime forces leading to improved unity, security, and stability.

April 11, 2025

UNITAS 2025 Mid Planning Conference Concludes

Mayport, Fla. — JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. 4th Fleet completed the UNITAS 2025 mid planning conference on board Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Apr. 7-11. Held virtually and in-person, the conference brought together commands from the U.S. and partner nations to plan for UNITAS 2025, the 66th iteration of the world’s longest-running multinational maritime exercise.